Why Russia is Fighting Qatar and Competing Iran

By Ioannis-Sotirios Ioannou

An alternative perspective on the civil conflict in Syria is inevitably linked with energy and geostrategic implications. Unlike the case of Iraq, when the discussion comes to the causes of the conflict in Syria, more often than not energy does not occupy a large part of the analysis. The recent Russian intervention in Syria is strongly related to energy security. Looking at Russia from the perspective of an energy giant – from which Europe is strongly depended (80% of its natural gas imports annually from Gazprom) – one can easily understand what Putin is looking for in Syria.